Rose went to them, "I'm so happy for you both, but you're missing something." They would not turn away from each other's face. "My son." Rom said it to Sayla with so much feeling, Rose wanted to cry hearing it. They looked to the Time Lords still kneeling. "Please, where is he?"

Chapter 63 Baby Mine!

8 nudged 10, "Once more into the breach? It's for a good cause." 10 shrugged his shoulders, "Why not. Hey, you two. Come on, He's not getting any younger." 10 grabbed Rose and gave her a big smooch. "I'll be right back." Rose smiled, "Good, I've got a surprise for you." She stepped back as the four of them loaded into the Tardis.

"Please tell me what's happened to my boy." Rom held his mate close, expecting to hear the worst. 10 was imagining how he would react to someone taking his son and giving him up for adoption. He was grinding his teeth with a deadly look in his eyes. 8 answered their question. "Your son is safe as far as we know. He has been taken to a foster home in the north. There are several, and this won't be easy. Even if we do find him, they can fight his being returned to you. You could still lose him entirely. Do you understand?"

10 huffed and interrupted. "What my friend here means, is that it may take time. If he's out there, we'll find him and return him to you. This may seem like a cruel question, but do you think you will recognize him?" Sayla was positive, "He has a birthmark on his side. I would know him anywhere."

The first few homes they went to did not have a baby boy, The next few did not have one that matched. Fear and hopelessness shrouded the couple. They were on to the next, when 8 asked a question. "What will you do when you find him?" They looked at each other not understanding the question. "What are you going to do? You still have nothing to support yourselves. Nothing. No home, no family. What are you going to live on?"

They were silent, not knowing the answer.

"Have you considered, he may be better off where he is? I grew up in a foster home and I turned out just fine. I had a roof over my head and food in my belly and I…," He stopped short of saying happy, "I was taken care of."

Sayla finally spoke. "I know we have nothing to give him, except our love. But we are stronger together than apart. If we leave him with others, we will never be whole. I will not imagine our lives without him."

10 spoke up, "Can we take you back to the farm where you were Rom?" Rom was solemn, "If we go there I will have to hide Sayla and the boy. There are no families allowed there. If that is what we must do, then so be it." Rom pulled Sayla in close and they held each other tight. Accepting their fate.

10 growled and turned to the console. 8 was leaning against a support column. The Tardis engines boomed to a stop in front of yet another farm house. "Ok, chin up, let's try this one." The Doctors left the Tardis and knocked on the door. A woman answered. "Who are you?" 8 spoke first, "Forgive our intrusion madam, We are looking for a baby. A foundling baby boy. He would have been given to you about two months ago. Do you have such a lad?"

"First you're going to tell me who you are." 10 interrupted, I am the Doctor and this is John Smith." 8 glared at 10 for the reversal of their rolls. "We are representatives of the parents. It seems there was a mix up at the hospital, and their child was…" He laughed nervously, "shipped off by mistake. The only clue we have is that it was to a foster home somewhere near here. Do you have such a child?"

The woman looked them over good and proper before allowing them in. "I do, He's over there." The child was looking at them over the bar of his crib. He was shirtless and a birthmark was very clear on his side. The Doctors came closer to examine him. The woman trailed behind them to watch what they were doing.

8 looked at the woman with authority, "If you'll excuse us, my colleague and I would like to examine the child in private." The woman shrugged and went into the kitchen. "By Rassilon I think we've got him. Quickly, go out to the Tardis and get Sayla." 10 looked around and left quietly.

They returned seconds later. Sayla's eyes were wide and filling with tears when she rushed to the crib. "My son!" she whispered.

8 needed to be absolutely positive. "Are you sure Sayla? You must be very sure." She shook her head and held her arms out to the baby. 10 pushed her back outside. "Go back to the Tardis. This must be handled with delicacy." Sayla ran to the Tardis to tell Rom the good news.

10 came back in, "Ok now what?" 8 was grinning, this was going to be fun. "The obvious, old boy. We do what we do best. Lie." 8 cleared his throat to attract attention, "Madam if you would come out now." The woman came back out wiping flour from her hands onto an apron.

"We have determined that this is not the child in question and we shall be on our way. It's a pity, there is a rather large reward for him. And we have been looking far too long for a suitable candidate." The woman who was only vaguely interested, suddenly perked up and said, "Reward?" "Well of course, The hospital is in very deep trouble for giving away the child of an ambassador. I believe it is 600 credits by now. It's a shame. That kind of money can make a big difference in someone's life. In fact, there's enough there for three someone's lives." He looked slyly at the woman and winked.

The woman grinned, "What's he missing?" 8 continued in a hushed voice. "The child is supposed to have a small black birthmark at the top of his right cheek, but we can't find it. Perhaps you should look. After all, you have had him for some time. You might be able to, point it out?" The woman winked back and pulled a pen from her pocket.

After deliberately turning their backs to her, she shouted, "Here sir. Is this what you mean?" When the Doctors turned around there was a tiny black spot on his right cheek. "Well, It must be him! The administrators will be so relieved." 8 looked about the room and out the window, pulling the woman and 10 into the center of the room. He whispered to them, "We must make a pact to never tell anyone what we have done here. It could mean prison or worse if the ambassador finds out."

He held out his hand and 10 covered it with his own, both looking at the woman, "Agreed?" She ducked her head and whispered, "Agreed." Putting her hand on theirs. 8 looked around again, "We'll take all the risk and present him to the ambassador. You never saw us and we never heard of you. Got it?" "When will I get my share?" The woman said flatly. "When the ambassador approves and gives us the money, you'll get what's coming to you. Unless you want to go with us, and take the risk that no one will wipe that smudge off his face!"

The woman turned pale and shook her head. "Alright then, remember, we were never here." 8 grabbed the baby and walked out the door. 10 turned to close it behind him, watching the woman, crossing his lips with his finger to shush her.

They walked back in the Tardis, 10 set the controls for Karn and 8 handed the baby to Rom. 8 and 10 broke out laughing and shaking each other's hands. "By the time she figures out there's no reward coming, you'll be long gone and she will have no one to complain to." 10 turned to 8, "You'd better stay out of the area for a while, just in case, Mr. Smith." They were still chuckling when they noticed the couple on their knees still kissing the baby and each other. Another awe moment passed unnoticed between them as they landed on Karn.

They all stepped out of the Tardis laughing as 8 told the tail to Rom. Rose and Ohila were waiting for them in the shadows. Sayla and Rom were so happy they didn't notice it was almost sunset. Ohila stepped out of the shadows, "Times up. You must leave the sanctuary now." Rose went to the couple admiring the baby, "But they've nowhere to go." "They must leave now." She was adamant.

Chapter 64 There's No Place Like Home